Perhaps the biggest on-field difference for the 2013 version of the Detroit Lions will be on special teams.

John Bonamego replaces Danny Crossman as the special teams coordinator. New eyes, new ideas.

David Akers replaces kicker Jason Hanson who retired. Sam Martin or Blake Clingan will be the new punter.

The big question looms: Who will return punts and kicks?

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Veteran return specialist Josh Cribbs was brought in for a workout early this week. However, he signed with the Oakland Raiders.

It didn’t end well for Stefan Logan last season. He took a knee on the 4-yard line after a free kick in the next-to-last game of 2012. He didn’t return kicks or punts in the season finale.

The Lions finished 31st in kick returns and 22nd in punt returns. To no one’s surprise, Logan was not re-signed.

Reggie Bush is one option, although maybe not the best one. He’s never been a primary kickoff returner, but he returned four punts for touchdowns with the New Orleans Saints. When he signed with Detroit, he said he’d be willing to return.

The job is not being handed to him — or anyone — just yet, but coach Jim Schwartz has said that Bush is an option.

“There are a lot of different facets to it. We have guys on our team who can do it. It’s one of the reasons we drafted Ryan Broyles. He hasn’t been able to because of his injuries, but he was very good at it in college. I mean, he was a four-year producer as a punt returner,’’ Schwartz said.

Broyles is likely out of the picture this season since he’s again coming off ACL surgery.

“So, whether a guy wins the job strictly as a return specialist or whether we compartmentalize it and have one guy as a kick returners, one guy as a punt returner, we have a lot of other guys that can do it,’’ Schwartz said. “You would like to see a guy go and win it.’’

Rookie running back Steven Miller (Appalachian State) and wide receiver Patrick Edwards, who was on the Lions’ practice squad last season, got good looks during rookie minicamp. They each know that playing special teams is their key to winning a spot on the 53-man roster.

The job will be won in training camp and preseason games.

“Once we get to preseason games, it’s the same thing with catching balls. It’s easy to catch balls now. It’s a lot easier now to catch punts and things like that,’’ Schwartz said. “All of a sudden you get in a preseason game and you’ve got guys beating on you and running down and trying to make plays. It’s a lot different. You really can see who can react under pressure and who can make those good, quality decisions back there.”

Running back Theo Riddick, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, didn’t participate in return drills during rookie minicamp, but is expected to be in the mix. He was the primary kick returner for the Irish as a freshman averaging 22.9 yards per return.

Veterans expected to compete for the job are running back Joique Bell, along with wide receivers Mike Thomas and Lance Long.

Bell returned two kicks for the Lions last season for a total of 54 yards.

Thomas, who arrived in Detroit via trade mid-season last year, returned kicks and Punts for the Jacksonville Jaguars in his three-plus seasons there (2009-2012).